Stories from experience: Using the Phenomenological Psychological method to understand the needs of victims of the fukushima nuclear accident

In order to assist the victims of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, we first need to understand people's lived experiences of the disaster in its social, cultural, and historical context. In this article I outline how phenomenological psychology, a qualitative research approach based upon in-depth interviewing, can be the source of such knowledge. Case vignettes highlight the unique psychological situation of seven individuals, with implications for helping victims of this disaster more generally.